Why did Jesus use parables to teach?

Answer 1

Start by remembering that Jesus was Jewish. This means that he taught Torah (and appropriate behavior) from a Jewish pedagogical framework.

This framework teaches in at four levels. I'll give you the anglicized Hebrew names and their meaning:

PSHAT -- plain meaning (simply what the words say)

REMEZ -- allusion (what is hinted at, or intimated, by the words)

DRASH -- homily (expounded meanings through allegorical examples)

SOD -- mystery (concealed, esoteric meanings, as found in the Kaballah)

So.... back to your question, "WHY did Jesus use parable?"

Answrer: Because homilies and parables constitute DRASH -- a classic Jewish teaching methodology.

I hope that this helps..

Answer 2

It was the style of teaching of the day.
Just as today it is fashionable to tell it like it is, in those days, religious teachers always taught in parables. Volumes upon volumes of rabbinical writings from that era have survived to this day, and they all attest that parables were the way to go. People expected religious leaders to speak in parables. The teachers who were better storytellers developed a larger following.


Parables make teachings easier to remember and apply.
In the parable of the lost son, the son got into a terrible fix, but he realized that in his situation he had nothing to lose and everything to gain by attempting a reconciliation with his father. In the parable there was a happy ending, but if you are ever in desperate straits, and you remember this parable, you might realize that even if the reconciliation doesn’t come off, you’re still no worse off. So by remembering the parable, you might attempt a reconciliation that you otherwise wouldn’t think of.


Parables are more enduring than telling it like it is.
Social problems come and go. The way it is becomes the way it was. Old sermons addressing old social problems are out of touch with today. Parables deal with basic principles, whereas telling it like it is deals with how those principles apply to specific situations.


If the situation changes, the telling it like it was becomes irrelevant, but the parable lives on.
Jesus’ parables are still relevant to everyday life even after 2,000 years and technological, social, and political changes beyond anyone’s wildest imagining. Since Jesus spoke, four additional continents were discovered. Yet His parables live on. On the other hand, a sermon that told it like it was about the hippie movement or miniskirts less than thirty years ago would sooner move the congregation to nostalgia than to repentance.

Answer 3

This is what Jesus said about why:

Matthew 13
11"He replied, "The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 13This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.' "

Because God does not want everybody. Jesus spoke in parables because he DIDN'T want some people to understand. That's consistant with John 6 ( the whole story ) , Romans 9 , and also John 3:16!

John 3:16 is not talking about the whole world. I challenge any Christian who says it does mean the whole world to look the word up! Kosmos does not have a singular meaning!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

The parables used prevalent symbols so the listener could relate and, if prefer be, be bowled over. despite the end result contained in the hearer, the parables required a reaction. the two the hearer became to alter a habit, or a theory, or a perception, or something else. yet exchange is the reason of the parables. They weren't basically thoughts. They have been residing words from the mouth of God.

Answer 5

Think about this. Multitudes, numbering in the thousands followed or went to hear and see Jesus when they heard He was traveling in their areas. All ages, sexes, races, creeds, colors, of people who were educated, and uneducated, tradesmen, servants, government, religious, and the military came to see Jesus.

That is why He always included parables to verbally and visually illustrate His teachings so that even the little children who flocked to Him could understand what He said.

The unique points such as The Prodigal Son, was the way Jesus said the Father behaved when he saw his son returning from a long way off. The son had been living and eating with pigs for months (imagine the stench of him) and the Father was wealthy, elderly, & dignified, yet he yanked his expensive robes above his knees and ran out to meet his son. (Understand it was against ALL customs for a wealthy dignified elderly man to show his legs, much less to run,) but this father ran and did not even pause at the stench and appearance of his son, but wrapped his son tightly in his arms and kissed him and never gave a thought to the fact that he was ruining his fine garments or making a fool of himself before everyone else. The shock of such behavior REALLY showed those people of that age how much Almighty God loves them.

Just as the Good Samaritan showed people that Almighty God does not care WHAT your race, creed, or color, He loves you all.

The parables of Jesus are timeless and can and do resonant with people of all ages, all walks, all creeds, and all colors and all stations in life.

Answer 6

Say you were trying to explain something to someone and they did not understand, so you give a story as an example in order to explain it to this person so he may have a better understanding.

This is why Jesus spoke many times in parables.

Answer 7

This is a trick question. Jesus used parables to hide the true meaning of his teaching from those who were not receptive to it.

Answer 8

So the ones truly searching with spiritual eyes would get the sense of it.
Jesus was followed around by a lot of people who only wanted to be healed or fed. Those people wouldn't understand his teachings because they weren't really looking to begin with.
It shows intent of heart.

**Edit**
I forgot about that aspect. Parables also helped people relate by using themes they were familiar with.

Answer 9

some people understand by just saying it too them, so understand with parables and some understand other ways..

The Bible uses most of the ways for you to understand.

Probably because he knew he would be talking to alot more then 1 person...

Answer 10

A parable is using something we understand to make us understand something we otherwise would not.

example; if your dentist told you that you needed RCT on number 24 of your permanent dentition, you might not understand.

But now if he said you need a root canal on one of your permanent teeth and taped on the tooth, you would get it.